Saturday, November 10, 2012

Queens GOP stuck on stupid

Democrats have spent years building up their party in states and counties where they once were weak, and are reaping the electoral benefits of these efforts. States that once were safe for Republicans have rather dramatically become swing states.

Compare that to the Borough of Queens where Republican County Chairman Phil Ragusa saw fit to challenge Eric Ulrich’s candidacy for State Senate, by promoting Juan Reyes. Reyes was the candidate of Ragusa’s choice, and chosen only after Ulrich announced his interested in the State Senate race.

Focusing near exclusively on this bruising primary Ragusa’s Republican Party failed to recruit even the faintest of challengers for my local State Assembly seat! Where there could have been synergy from a competitive candidate for State Senate and another for State Assembly, we had a primary that became nationally notable for its extreme negativity.

This primary was held because Phil Ragusa was upset by the prospects of a challenger coming from outside his approved structure of leadership. Eric Ulrich prevailed in the primary, but lost to the incumbent in November, no doubt hurt when all summer long Republicans were told not to vote for him.

After the local party blew through its resources in that primary, it became silent during the critical period after the primary. I received no mailers from the Queens Republicans, I received no phone calls and no canvassers came knocking to my door after Ulrich won the Republican nomination.

A party should have a powerful political apparatus designed to get the vote out, promote primary winners and guide new talent through the political arena, not to perpetuate petty vendettas.

In Queens, the County Republican Party functions first to keep the incumbent county leadership in place, and then to promote candidates who have “paid their dues” to the county party. This party engages in efforts to stop upstarts who dare to believe that they can be elected to serve in public office.

The constant and continuing failure of local leadership is demonstrated by the perpetual lack of competitive candidates for Borough President in Queens. Despite voting for the Republican nominee for mayor in the past six mayoral elections, during simultaneous down-ticket elections there have been no competitive efforts for the position by the local Republicans.

We see a county party not interested in promoting the free market and individual liberty ideology of the national party, but content solely with the ability to dole out patronage positions in the Board of Elections.

38 comments:

Anonymous
said...

In Queens, the County Republican Party functions first to keep the incumbent county leadership in place, and then to promote candidates who have “paid their dues” to the county party. This party engages in efforts to stop upstarts who dare to believe that they can be elected to serve in public office.---------------------Take out the word 'Republican' and insert the word 'Democrat' and it works for Honest Joe Crowley.

Exactly, how is it different from any other political apparatus. And seriously, Eric spent the millions the state party gave him, Joe spent next to nothing, and still won by 10,000 votes. It's the registry! When will you all learn that?

Exactly, how is it different from any other political apparatus. And seriously, Eric spent the millions the state party gave him, Joe spent next to nothing, and still won by 10,000 votes. It's the registry! When will you all learn that?______________________________Of course we know thatIt does not mean the Reps cant make inroads somewhere. I think it is going to take someone like John Watch to save the Party.

John Watch charged Halloran for the data Tabone got from RACC for free, and even sued to collect. Uhlrch used his Council funds to buy reorg votes for Haggerty. Registry doesn't count as much because folks reg Dem so the unions might get them jobs in an emergency. The problem is the Rocky Rinos in Albany who make the GOP name worthless.

The County Party functions first to keep the incumbent county leadership in place, and then to promote candidates who have “paid their dues” to the county party. This party engages in efforts to stop upstarts who dare to believe that they can be elected to serve in public office.----

THERE IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG IN THIS - IT IS ON THE LEVEL OF POLL TAXES OR LITERACY TESTS FOR ITS ORGANIZED TO DISENFRANCHISE THE PUBLIC FROM A CLEAR CHOICE IN THEIR REPRESENTATIVES.

IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE I HAVE A FEELING PEOPLE WILL SCRATCH THEIR HEADS THAT WE PUT UP WITH THIS.

Maybe if Halloran, Ulrich or the other Republicans running for office this year visited the senior centers in their districts half as often as the Democratic candidates, they would have had a chance. Never saw any of them in our neighborhoods. Has Halloran, et al ever held a town hall meeting? Supported any local non profits like Padavan supported the Alley Pond Environmental Center? What exactly have they done for residents of their districts since they have been in office? or before they were elected to their current positions?

So basically, what you're saying is that they didn't tweed hard enough? Pander to seniors and buy off the votes of people connected to non-profits. Thank you for proving that the old tricks still work. And for the record, they have visited and support many senior centers.

Pure speculation...but maybe the recently "suicided" Cecilia Chang (dean of Asian studies at St. John's University)didn't funnel enough Taiwanese cash to the Queens Republican party as she might have been doling out (laundered, of course) to the Democratic machine.

Curious...Chang first slit her wrists like her close friend Manes once did, and they lived only 3 houses away from each other.

"The game is afoot, Watson".

What was that trip to Taiwan in 1980 all about ...which was attended by many of our borough's most "illustrious" players...including Ackerman, Manes, etc?

google DONALD MANES...."moments before Manes plunged a knife into his heart, his wife Marlene phoned his psychiatrist......"

one must retain credibility......

i recall that he reportedly cut his legs in his car on the G.C.P. after leaving the dem hangout at the boat dock restaurant at Flushing/Shea Stadium. they (his MD.son-in-law) would not allow a Blood Plasma transfusion because the blood supply was feared contaminated from hiv/aids donors. he went into cardiac arrest with out the full blood.

Would you mind explaining what is most likely your faultless and well thought-out thinking process behind my wondering what those other two posts have to do with the stupidity of the Republican Party in Queens?

read: Jimmy Breslin's chapter in "CITY FOR SALE" by Village Voice reporter Wayne Barrett . Breslin broke the story first , with the Queens Blvd. interview with Counselor Michael Dowd, who admitted involvement in the NYC Parking Violations $$$$ scam on taxpayers.

after Manes was found on the G.C.P.,with his legs cut, he was taken to Former Booth-Memorial in Flushing. while Breslin was having coffee in the first floor shop, a ER nurse complained that the F.B.I. was taking all the parking spots.

that is when Breslin said he REALLY GOT TO WORK ON Q.B.dem. pols. he wanted to know what the hell the feds were doing with Manes ?

Manes was exposed by a informant in Chicago bragging on a F.B.I. wire tap, that the B.P.in nyc was scamming millions more than the pols. in Chicago.

As far as the state of Texas and any other state that wants to leave, I say this: "See ya." But you're going to leave all of your Federal aid (including the subsidies that the oil industry receives and all of NASA) behind. You're going to lose all of your military protection behind as well. You know that no one is leaving. But if they do go, why don't you leave your home and those two old trees behind and go with them?

Face it. Your guy lost. Stop being such a sore loser and get on with the rest of your life.

did not two congressional districts disappear in Queens/Bklyn recently?the former NY taxpayers must be leaving for that to occur. a district total is about 100,000 people, i believe? that is a total of 200,000.

welcome "off the books" SANCTUARY SANCHEZ.and

with a projected 9% unemployment in the future, will more leave for Texas ? My doctor just did.

ny employees are the highest taxed in the U.S.and pay the highest MEDICAID(WELFARE) costs also.

Spotted a piece of Queens Crap in your community?

Please note

Italicized passages and many of the photos come from other websites. The links to these websites are provided within the posts.

Why your neighborhood is full of Queens Crap

"The difference between dishonest and honest graft: for dishonest graft one worked solely for one's own interests, while for honest graft one pursued the interests of one's party, one's state, and one's personal interests all together." - George Washington Plunkitt

Sites that kick ass:

The above organizations are recognized by Queens Crap as being beneficial to the city as a whole, by fighting to preserve the history and character of our neighborhoods. They are not connected to this website and the opinions presented here do not necessarily represent the positions of these organizations.

The comments left by posters to this site do not necessarily represent the views of the blogger or webmaster.